WWE: Raw Supershows Must Come to an End

It’s been a long time since I wrote my last article, with most of my time being spent concentrating on university and trying to scrounge enough money to pay my rent. However, I simply cannot let this Raw “SuperShow” business go unaddressed by my frazzled noggin any longer.

Let me make this clear: I was never a fan of the new concept of Raw portraying the talents of half the SmackDown roster. Partly because there are wrestlers who already have enough trouble trying get TV time on Raw, and partly because I didn’t see the point, when viewers could just turn their channels to SyFy and Sky Sports every Friday night.

Yes, I understand that it mixes things up and provides new and interesting matches. But they already have a process for that. It’s called the WWE Draft. Is one year really too long for the same 30+ superstars to grapple with each other, considering they already spend about a quarter of the year on one feud?

I don’t think so.

Another reason why I’m not impressed is because I’m not impressed. In past times, when SmackDown superstars were called onto Raw, it was usually for something like a WWE Champion vs. World Heavyweight Champion match, a contract signing, or because an Icelandic volcano trapped the Raw roster overseas. These cases were usually pretty big news. However, I haven’t found anything outstanding about the Raw “SuperShows” since their conception.

Now don’t get me wrong, I applaud WWE for the quality of television they’ve shown the last few months. But that’s the Raw and SmackDown superstars providing entertaining TV by themselves.

When I heard that The Blue Team would be part of Monday nights, I thought, at the very least, they would have initiated some feuds with the Raw roster. That was not so—random tag and single matches thrown together do not constitute a feud.

To put it metaphorically, say you have a ball of blue Play-Doh in one hand, and a ball of yellow Play-Doh in the other. Mash your hands together for a few seconds and what do you get? Not green Play-Doh, but blue and yellow swirling around in a contorted mass.

Maybe we haven’t been given enough time to see the result of Raw and SmackDown being mashed together. Maybe the form being created by the hands of the WWE’s top brass needs a little more time to make it the shade of green that will appease everybody. Unfortunately, time is something WWE do not have—which leads me to my final point.

For at least twice in the last month (including this week’s SmackDown), I have read about how attendance at SmackDown tapings is so poor, the audience had been moved to sit in the side the cameras were facing, so as to make the arena look full. However, the seats behind and around the cameras have been empty. I’ve seen no confirmation as to why ticket sales for SmackDown tapings have been so low, but I can guess.

If you had decided to buy a WWE ticket, would you go to Raw—where you’ll see the top names from both brands—or go to SmackDown to watch a weak promo from Mark Henry, the same Diva’s match that’s been shown the past two months, a couple mid card matches and then Randy Orton winning the main event?

It is my opinion that top SmackDown superstars being showcased on Raw gives people little reason to buy tickets when they can see the same superstars on Monday nights.

Frankly, I think there are far more cons than pros with the situation. But, of course, the WWE has to drag out every bad situation they have (Cole vs Lawler, Anonymous Raw General Manager, etc.) to the point where we just don’t want to watch anymore. I’d say the concept had potential, if only it hadn’t cost SmackDown half its ticket sales and prevented talent from receiving air time and not actually giving the WWE Universe something to be excited about.

Well, they’re my views Bleachers, do you think Raw’s SuperShows have to end?